Amherst vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Should I go to Amherst College or University of Massachusetts Lowell? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or University of Massachusetts-Lowell is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Amherst College vs. University of Massachusetts Lowell comparison
Amherst College University of Massachusetts Lowell College 3 College 4
Amherst College University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Overview

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Location Amherst, MA Lowell, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,910 16,770
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #428
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu uml.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Tuition (In State) $66,650 $15,850
Tuition (Out of State) $66,650 $34,676
Room & Board $17,560 $15,424
Avg Net Price $17,965 $17,624
Avg Grant Aid $65,623 $12,647
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 79%

Admission

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,727 12,628
Admitted 1,250 10,764
Acceptance Rate 9.8% 85.2%
Enrolled % 39% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/35 26/30
SAT Range 1360/1550 1180/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2026 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)

Outcomes

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Graduation Rate 96% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $258

Diversity

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
% Men 0% 15%
% Women 0% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 64%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
% In-State 9% 87%
% Out-of-State 77% 10%

Campus

Amherst University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 1,910 students)

Amherst vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or University of Massachusetts-Lowell?

  • Amherst College is 320.5% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $15,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92.2% higher at Amherst than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($66,650.00 vs. $34,676.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Amherst ($17,624 vs. $17,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 13.8% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,424 vs. $17,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Amherst College (79% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 418.9% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($65,623 vs. $12,647)

Amherst vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 254 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (3.67)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than Amherst (9.8%)

Amherst vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (96% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $26,700 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $12,025 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($12,975 vs. $25,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($134 vs. $258)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/